Descripción:A Cessna 208B, N102VE, operated by Skydive Greensburg, had a loss of engine power and sustained substantial damage when it nosed over in a cornfield after a forced landing near the Greensburg-Decatur County Airport (I34), Indiana. The skydiving flight with 14 skydivers on board the airplane departed Greensburg-Decatur on a local flight at 10:15. The pilot was not injured and all the skydivers parachuted safely from the airplane after the complete loss of engine power.

The pilot reported that the airplane was climbing through 7,000 feet msl when he heard an explosion followed by a metal grinding noise coming from the engine section of the airplane. He felt the airplane vibrate, and smoke began to fill the cabin. He reported that the engine was not producing any power so he shut the fuel off and performed procedures to rid the cabin of smoke. He leveled the airplane at 5,000 feet msl and set the flaps to 20-degree so that the 14 skydivers could exit the airplane. He attempted a forced landing to runway 18 (3,433 feet by 40 feet, asphalt). The airplane was too high and fast during the approach so he executed a forced landing to a cornfield off the departure end of runway 18. When the airplane landed in the cornfield, the propeller and left wing impacted the terrain, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Inspection of the engine revealed that the compressor turbine (CT) blades failed as a result of blade creep. The engine manufacturer had issued Service Information Letters (SIL) concerning recommended borescope inspection procedures to inspect CT blades for blade creep and fatigue cracks. The airplane's owner reported that he was unaware of the SIL's, and did not perform the borescope inspections that were recommended by the engine manufacturer's SIL.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The total loss of engine power during the en route climb due to a compressor turbine failure as a result of blade creep. Also causal was the inadequate maintenance performed by the airplane's owner."

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.